Portable shampoo apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for promoting a person&#39;s personal hygiene. In particular, the portable shampoo apparatus allows a person to easily wash a person&#39;s hair, who is laying in bed, with the least amount of discomfort on the in-bed individual. The portable shampoo apparatus includes a back support ramp which leads to a neck support, wherein an individual&#39;s head would be suspended over a shampoo basin. An extending water nozzle disperses water on a person&#39;s hair, while drain tubing allows the waste water to release into a drain receptacle.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to personal hygiene. More specifically, the invention includes a device that allows a person to wash another individual's hair.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It can be very difficult to wash another person's hair. It is especially difficult for a caretaker to wash another person's hair when they are in bed. The typical hair-washing process is uncomfortable for individual in bed, and it is complicated for the person trying to wash the individual's hair.

There have been a few devices that have addressed this problem, but none that are as user friendly for the person washing the individual's hair, nor one that is as comfortable for the in-bed individual as the current device. Efforts to develop devices and methods for shampooing another individual's hair have led to various designs for shampoo apparatuses as exemplified in the following patent disclosures.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,728,977 issued to Knight on May 4, 2004, entitled IN-BED SHAMPOO SYSTEM describes a shampoo unit, which includes a drainage cape and funnel system to capture water. It also discusses pumping water from another reservoir to the person's hair and down the funnel system. The invention describes a wedge-shaped body ramp, where a bedridden person is positioned, and which also stores the connecting devices.

U.S. Pat. No. D497,199 issued to Lockwood on Oct. 12, 2004, entitled ADJUSTABLE AND PORTABLE SHAMPOO BASIN describes the ornamental design for an adjustable and portable shampoo basin. This design has a shampoo basin on an assembly that can be adjusted for height.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,774 issued to Hajek on Dec. 13, 1983, entitled DISPOSABLE SHAMPOO BASIN describes a shampoo system for shampooing bedridden patients. This system provides for a plastic basin that is biodegradable, and the insertion of an inflatable bag which props up a bed ridden individual's neck.

Each of the above efforts to provide an easy to use and comfortable shampoo device fail in certain respects. These devices are either difficult to handle, or are quite costly. Therefore, there is a longstanding need for a device that is inexpensive, easy for a person to use, and comfortable for the individual who is in bed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus and method that enables a caregiver to easily wash an individual's hair without discomfort while still in bed. In one aspect, the apparatus comprises a shampoo basin, a neck support, a back support ramp, a drain receptacle, drain tubing and an extending water nozzle.

An exemplary embodiment of a portable shampoo apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises an inclined back support, on which a person could be easily be placed. This ramp would provide back and shoulder support, and would lead directly into a neck support piece. The person's head, supported by the neck support, would be washed in the shampoo basin, which contains a drain at the basin's bottom. This drain could be plugged when washing a person's hair, or unplugged to release the water into drain tubing. The drain tubing would lead directly into a drain receptacle, which could easily be drained in a nearby sink and set aside. In order to provide water to a person's head, an extending water nozzle would be utilized. This nozzle would include a water jet connected to flexible water tubing that has the ability to adapt to a multitude of water sources.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects of the present will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a portable shampoo apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of a first aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates the back support ramp, with an adjustable ramp.

FIG. 3 illustrates a second embodiment of the shampoo apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The preferred embodiment of a portable shampoo apparatus is illustrated in FIG. 1. The portable shampoo apparatus 10 includes a shampoo basin 20 in which one side is constructed such that a neck support 23 can be seated. The shampoo basin 20 has a drain 22 at the very bottom, which can be plugged, or open to drain mode.

The preferred embodiment of the shampoo basin 20 has a basin housing 24 around the basin itself, such that the drain tubing 28 can be inserted below the drain 22. The drain tubing 28 then comes out of a drain tubing outlet 26 which runs down to a drain receptacle 30, which catches the drain water. The basin housing 24 allows the shampoo basin 20 and other parts to be placed on an individual's bed 25 and allow for gravity to carry the waste water to the drain receptacle 30.

The drain tubing 28 is ideally flexible tubing, but other embodiments are foreseen with this invention. Furthermore, in the preferred embodiment, the drain tubing 28 has the ability to be retracted up to beneath the shampoo basin 20, facilitating a more mobile shampoo apparatus. The drain tubing 28 terminates at a drain receptacle 30 placed at a lower location than the shampoo basin 20.

The drain receptacle 30 can be any water holding container in the present invention, however in one embodiment, the drain receptacle can include a handle to facilitate an easier time carrying and disposing waste-water.

Leading up to the neck support 23 is a back support ramp 60. This back support is ideally connected to the shampoo basin 20, however, it is within the purview of this invention to have a removable back support ramp 60, which has the ability to be temporarily attached to the shampoo basin 20.

The back support ramp 60, as embodied in FIG. 2, is intended to support a bedridden individual's back. The back support ramp 60 includes a back support mat 61, which can be ergonomically designed to provide maximum comfort to a bedridden individual. This back support mat 61, in one embodiment, can be adjusted to different heights via a ramp adjuster 63. The ramp adjuster 63 sits on the back support base 62 to raise the back support mat 61 to the desired height.

An extending water nozzle 40, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a jet 41, which disperses water onto a person's head. The jet 41 is connected to water tubing 42. The water tubing 42 is preferably flexible. The water tubing 42 is also preferably retractable. However, this invention foresees other embodiments of water tubing 42. The water tubing 42 leads to an end, which can accommodate a multitude of adapters 43. The adapter 43 fits onto the available water source 44.

A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 3. The entire portable shampoo apparatus is placed on a rolling assembly 51. This assembly 51 includes a pedestal 50, which could be height adjustable. The pedestal 50 leades to a base 52, which is set on wheels 53. Also seated on the base 52, is a drain receptacle housing 54, where the drain receptacle 30 can be held. Once again, the drain tubing 28 is run out of the drain tubing outlet 26 to the drain receptacle 30.

The preferred method of using the portable shampoo apparatus 10 is to move a person onto the already height-adjusted back support ramp 60, and rest the person's neck on the neck support 23. The person's head would be suspended over the shampoo basin 20, allowing another person to dispense water via the extending water nozzle 40. The water would drain from the drain 22, into the drain tubing 28, and into the drain receptacle 30. Once all the water is drained, the person washing the other's hair would be able to remove the drain receptacle 30, and dispose of the waste water.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention are illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction, may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. 

1. A portable shampoo apparatus, comprising: a shampoo basin, which includes a drain; a neck support, which is seated on one side of the shampoo basin; a back support ramp, which leads up to the neck support; a drain receptacle, for catching waste water; drain tubing, which connects to the shampoo basin's drain at a first end and ends at a second end in the drain receptacle; and an extending water nozzle, for rinsing an individual's hair.
 2. The portable shampoo apparatus in claim 1, wherein the shampoo basin has a side modified to fit a neck support.
 3. The portable shampoo apparatus in claim 1, wherein the shampoo basin has a connected back support ramp.
 4. The portable shampoo apparatus in claim 1, wherein the shampoo basin has a place to temporarily attach the back support ramp.
 5. The portable shampoo apparatus in claim 1, wherein the back support ramp can be adjusted to different heights.
 6. The portable shampoo apparatus in claim 1, wherein there is a back support mat, ergonomically designed to facilitate more back comfort, on the back support ramp.
 7. The portable shampoo apparatus in claim 1, wherein the drain tubing is flexible.
 8. The portable shampoo apparatus in claim 1, wherein the drain tubing is retractable.
 9. The portable shampoo apparatus in claim 1, wherein the drain receptacle has a handle.
 10. The portable shampoo apparatus in claim 1, wherein the extending water nozzle has flexible tubing.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the extending water nozzle tubing is retractable.
 12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the water nozzle tubing has the ability to utilize different adapters to connect to various water sources.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the entire assembly is placed on an height adjustable pedestal that is set on wheels.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the pedestal includes a drain receptacle housing.
 15. A method of washing an individual's hair, the method comprising: placing an individual's back and shoulders on the back support ramp; placing an individual's neck on a neck support; leaving the head of an individual extended over a shampoo basin; attaching the extending water nozzle to a water source via an adapter; utilizing the jet on the extending water nozzle to apply water to the individual's hair; and draining the shampoo basin with the drain tubing, which leads into the drain receptacle.
 16. The method in claim 15, wherein the back support ramp can be adjusted before or after an individual is placed on the back support mat.
 17. The method in claim 15, wherein the back support ramp can be attached to the shampoo basin prior to utilizing the portable shampoo apparatus. 